Disclaimer: As always, I don't own Harry Potter.
Life went on, as it was oft to do, and days passed, and then weeks. Ron was heartbroken and angry and confused and way too many emotions all at once. Long gone were his emotional teaspoon days. He went through life sort of numb, unable to believe she was gone and hating her for making him despair when she had walked out on them. He ought to be better at this grief thing, he'd been through war for Merlin's sake.
He got the girls to their various relatives houses and made it into work but he was dreadfully unhappy, and not just because of Daphne. He was sick of this boring yet somehow unpredictable job. Sick of chasing the bad guys. It had been fun for a while but he was no longer young. Not to mention, if he were being honest, after the novelty wore off he had never really enjoyed being an auror.
But it put food on the table and he had been brought up to value that. He sighed through the paperwork and the title of deputy head auror that did not really belong to him. He only got it because of his fame from the war, not because he had earned it. Or so he thought.
He was sleepwalking and he hated how much it kept him from his girls. In his darkest moments, late at night when Rosie and Izzy were long asleep, he would dream of never going to any type of work again. He would dream of walking out of the auror office and not take up any other job.
He had the money for it, despite Daphne leaving her girls nothing in her will. She had hardly anything but anything she did have she had left to Astoria. Ron didn't begrudge Astoria of it, she and her sister had loved each other after all, and nor did he want anything for himself. Although a tiny part of him wondered if he had ever meant anything to her at all. He was most concerned with the fact that she had not left her children anything. Because they were hers, no matter how she tried to deny it.
And that made him angry because she shouldn't be able to give them anything since she walked out on them, shouldn't have any place in their thoughts and memories. It was quite a vicious cycle. He sighed for the millionth time and rubbed his sore eyes, nearly crying a little in frustration. His mind was a prison and so was this office. He barely recognized himself anymore but he couldn't stop the thoughts any more than he could fix the hole Daphne had shot in his heart.
A crash sounded from the hallway and he looked up in astonishment, thoroughly broken out of his depressing inner monologue. Harry appeared in his doorway, disheveled and dazed looking, breathing hard. Ron raised his eyebrows in alarm.
"What's wrong?" The last time Harry had looked this way he had told him Daphne was dead… But Harry broke out in a grin and gulped in some air to calm himself.
"Angie's in labour! C'mon!" And he tugged Ron out of the building by the sleeve of his robes, telling the secretary to excuse both of their absences for the rest of the day. About two floors down Ron's mind finally grasped what was happening and a smile spread slowly across his face. He was going to be an uncle again. He started running in earnest and Harry stopped dragging him.
"Rose and Isobelle?" He asked breathlessly.
"There already with Gin and the boys." Ginny had been looking after them for the day. Ron nodded and they finally stopped to apparate to St. Mungo's. They had no trouble finding the waiting room near the room George and Angelina were in. It was filled to the brim with Weasleys.
There was a loud chorus as Harry and Ron were greeted. Ron suddenly had his arms full of Rosie and Harry full of James and Albus. He took a seat next to his sister and smiled at her in shared excitement before taking Isobelle into the crook of his right arm, Rose was sat on his lap, leaning against his left side.
A couple of hours later George came out to tell them everything was fine but it was going to be a while yet. He told them to go home and he'd call them later. "Don't be silly." Their mother had said and that had been the end of that.
Fred had toddled over to his father and asked: "Mama?"
"She's okay buddy you'll be able to see her soon. She's busy bringing your brother or sister into the world." He gave him a lopsided smile and kissed his son on the top of the head. Freddie seemed satisfied and toddled over to Charlie who was the only Weasley who was not currently being squashed by a small child. Charlie picked him up and tickled him. Fred squealed and Charlie hugged him to his chest.
Ron looked around at them and felt his soul soothed at just sitting in silence, or relative silence, with his family. His Mum and Dad with Molly II laid over both of their laps, Bill and Fleur were there each holding one of their kids, Charlie cuddling Fred II, Percy holding Lucy as Audrey was almost asleep herself on his shoulder, Harry and Ginny with Albus on his mother's lap and James sitting between them swinging his stubby legs, Draco stroking a sleeping Kassie's hair and Hermione bouncing a baby Scorpius on her knee.
He clutched Izzy and Rose tighter and felt his heart constrict. As much as he had despair and as much as he had once loved Daphne, she had left them and was no longer a part of their family. It was time to let her go.
George came out again a couple of hours later looking exhausted but beaming. He paused and looked at them all for a second. "It's a girl!" There was a roar of excitement that woke all of the children and set off quite a few babies. He frantically rocked Izzy to stop her crying, letting her suck on his finger which rather hurt even though she had no teeth.
The healers on duty glared reproachfully at them but Ron couldn't find it in him to care. A niece. He watched as everyone went in to meet her, starting with his Mum and Dad and Fred. They had all agreed long ago that they would go in order of age either backwards or forwards, they would switch every other year. That would make it more orderly and not make anyone feel bad. Ginny and Bill did not like this situation because they were either first or last every time but no one could think of a better way to do things. Or just gave up trying.
Eventually it was his turn and he gave Izzy to his Mum as Rose flung herself at her Granddad who caught her deftly with a grin. He walked in alone and smiled at the sight. Angelina looked absolutely exhausted but radiant, hair a frizzy mess but a smiled fixed on her face. His heart gave a pang at the sweet picture George made, cradling his infant daughter.
She had a head of delicately soft dark brown curls and was yawning when he walked in. "Hi." He whispered and they lit up at the sight of him.
"Hey Ronnie." George whispered. "Meet your niece." Ron held out his arms and he laid the little girl in them. He smiled genuinely and freely down at the baby in his arms.
"Hi there. I'm your Uncle Ron." She blinked her eyes blearily at him and he chuckled. "What's her name?" This was addressed to her parents.
"Roxanne." Angelina told him. A smile split his face nearly in two.
"Roxanne." He murmured down at the infant, rocking her gently. "Hiya Roxie Roller." George snorted and took her back from him.
"Send Gin and Harry in when you get back out there." George told him and Ron nodded, clapping his older brother on the back and gently hugging his sister-in-law.
"Congrats." He said as left the room. He jerked his head towards the door to Harry and Ginny when he walked back into the waiting room. Everyone was gone but them and his Mum and Dad. He took his daughters from them and smiled at them.
"Congratulations Grandmum and Granddad." His parents beamed at him.
"Congratulations Uncle Ron." Ginny bumped his shoulder as she went to meet her niece.
"You too Aunt Ginny." He called after her. "Well Rosie? Should we go home?" She nodded, not understanding where they were or even why they were there. "You have a new cousin." He muttered to her. "A girl. Roxanne."
"Otay Daddy." She responded without understanding. He snorted.
Hours later when he was rudely awoken by the cries of his own baby he was happy instead of sad and realized that being with his family had seemed to heal him. Holding Roxanne had done that too, just like holding his girls made everything better. He was happy that today was Thursday. He had Fridays off so he had quite a few days just to be with his girls. To move on.